ATTA commits to sustainable adventure tourism in Europe

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has announced its ongoing commitment to enhancing sustainable adventure tourism across Europe, underscoring the region's significant role in the global travel landscape. With a history spanning 20 years, the ATTA has hosted its Adventure Travel World Summit in various European nations including Norway, Scotland, Switzerland, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden. These summits have positioned Europe as a frontrunner in trends and innovations related to sustainable adventure travel.

In its future initiatives, the ATTA aims to expand its European membership, engaging stakeholders in collaboration with destination partners and various associations that bolster the travel industry across the continent. The organisation acknowledges the importance of these associations in supporting not only adventure-focused operators but the entire spectrum of the travel trade, which includes active, experiential, and outdoor travel professionals.

Over the past two decades, the ATTA has cultivated a robust network and wealth of expertise in tourism development, made possible by its enduring collaborations within the tourism sector. The association's mission is to utilise its accumulated knowledge, resources, and connections to advance the adventure tourism sector throughout Europe.

To support this mission, the ATTA plans to form strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations, which will provide members with free educational resources, training opportunities, and access to a global network comprising over 30,000 adventure travel professionals. These partnerships are intended to deepen the understanding of the diverse landscape of adventure travel across Europe, as the needs of members vary significantly from one region to another. For instance, the requirements of partners in Turkey differ considerably from those in Greenland.

Recently, the ATTA has welcomed several new partners to strengthen its European network:

• Wild Scotland: Acting on behalf of businesses and organisations across Scotland, Wild Scotland focuses on sustainable and responsible adventure experiences while safeguarding the natural environment.

• Ireland’s Association for Adventure Tourism (IAAT): IAAT serves as an independent representative body for the adventure tourism sector in Ireland, working with operators to ensure sustainable development in this rapidly growing area of the industry.

• Croatia - UHPA: The Croatian Travel Agencies Association (UHPA) represents a wide range of tourism entities in Croatia, including travel agencies and wholesalers, and accounts for over 50% of the country's organised tourism turnover.

• Sweden-Naturturismforetagen: The Swedish Nature and Ecotourism Association serves as an industry organisation for nature and ecotourism businesses in Sweden, seeking to enhance conditions for nature-based tourism and sustainable industry practices.

• Alpine Pearls: This initiative promotes eco-mobility and the preservation of Alpine ecosystems, striving to provide sustainable travel experiences while ensuring the preservation of the Alpine region's natural beauty.

The partnerships are primarily aimed at travel trade associations with members who are involved in inbound or outbound tour operations related to active, adventure, or experiential travel. However, the ATTA encourages associations with a broader focus to consider the benefits of collaboration as well.

Looking ahead to 2025, the ATTA plans to initiate discussions with its European destination partners to identify opportunities for expanding programme offerings and additional member benefits. For further inquiries, the organisation’s European team welcomes communication from interested parties.